The Use of Reason is a blog that takes a common sense view of society and its problems. I try to look at things not from the standpoint of whether the issue has an R or a D next to it, but instead from the perspective of a rational human being trying to solve problems. Oddly enough, the common sense, practical perspective usually ends up being the conservative one. If you'd like a sane, average-Joe's point of view, check out the blog.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Well, The Donald is now attacking Ted Cruz's qualifications as a candidate. While this is an understandable tactic, its effectiveness will depend upon the ignorance level of Republican voters concerning the U.S. Constitution. In other words, it is likely to fall flat.

The "birther" argument was invalid against Barack Obama because his mother was a U.S. citizen and his father had resided in the United States, making him a natural born citizen no matter in what nation he was born. The definition of "natural born" is simply that one is a citizen from birth without the necessity of undergoing a naturalization process. Whether Barack Obama was born in Kenya or Indonesia (which he wasn't) or Ted Cruz was born in Canada (which he was), neither makes a difference to a candidate's qualification. Even the Harvard Law Review has weighed in on the issue, interestingly enough well before The Donald began making an issue of it.

This is one of the few instances in which I will lean on Harvard for an authoritative opinion, however the logic used in this article is solid and irrefutable. If you have any doubts about Ted Cruz's eligibility, you must read this. (Link here.)

While I still favor Ben Carson, Ted Cruz is running at a solid second place in my book. The Donald has name recognition and a brash confidence that is indeed attractive, but he's all over the place as far as policy is concerned. A Carson/Cruz or Cruz/Carson ticket would be a dream come true. Let's cross our fingers.

If you disagree with me, either about The Donald or about what a "natural born citizen" really is, feel free to leave a comment/rant/barrage of insults below. Just make sure to read the article I linked to earlier so you have a complete understanding of the issue. And don't misunderstand--Donald Trump is a patriot who loves the country, but that isn't the only quality required to be a great president. Tact is also essential, and it's a quality that The Donald just doesn't have.